The Astral soul system-Chapter 157: Come find me

EXTREME WARNING: SOMEWHAT SENSITIVE CONTENT AHEAD

Zyro ran out of the office happily.

"She still seemed a bit upset. Guess that frame really is important. Which is why I’m really sorry because I’m still going to have to find out what’s in there, whether she likes it or not"

His mind flashes with the image of Aurora bound with the chain around her neck and he knew he couldn’t let that be her fate, even if it made her unhappy, and especially now that she’d done all these things for him. It was only right...right?

Zyro clutched his head. What did "right" even mean anymore? Usually he just followed orders...most of the time.

"Alright... let’s go check out-"

"Ehem! Forgetting something,mister? You may be able to go to dungeons now, the school still has a curfew. You won’t be allowed in tonight."

"... right"

Freya sighed

"Just go to bed. I know you’re excited but -"

’No’

"Huh?...what’s up?"

"I’m being followed"

Zyro suddenly looked back and the presence he felt disappeared.

"They’re gone... Hmmm...."

Zyro scratched his head awkwardly but didn’t bother chasing after the person.

"I think -"

"I think you’re forgetting something,master"

Lilith suddenly spoke up with a nagging tone,that last part being said in a condescending tone.

"Right, right,I know Lilith. I didn’t forget"

Zyro sighed, walking towards his room.

Being reminded of his favor to Lilith, Zyro also suddenly realized that Black wasn’t here. He wondered what it might be doing but wasn’t really worried,he could call it anytime if he needed it.

Getting to his dorm, Zyro was about to open the door when he suddenly noticed something disturbing.

On the door to the room, someone had written the words "COME FIND ME" in a crimson liquid, and even more disturbing was that on the door was also an arcade symbol.

"This is..."

The cheerful expression on his lips didn’t change but his eyes became calculative with a strange glint in them

Gently rubbing his fingers on the substance, Zyro tested it’s consistency between his fingers before bringing it to his nose, sniffing it.

"...yep, blood"

"This is concerning"

Theia added, but despite her words,her eyes were filled with boredom and maybe slight interest.

"Who could have..."

Zyro thought for a second before narrowing down his suspects.

In the end he was left with four possible explanations

One: Celia was back, and she was threatening him, trying to get on his nerves,or maybe trying to get him into a trap? But that didn’t make sense. If she wanted to trap him she would give him more of a clue than just this, and she most likely knew Zen wouldn’t be scared so easily. Unless... this was all just for pleasure? She certainly seemed like the kind.

Second was Keith. After what happened this morning it would be in character for him to try to shake him up,or to establish dominance. But with how frightened he seemed, Zyro wasn’t completely sure. Keith might be a failure but he’s not stupid. It would make sense for him to want revenge, maybe he wanted someone to see this so he’d be put under suspicion and eventually found out?

Zyro touched the blood again... It was fresh, and warm. This had been done recently,he suspected within the last five minutes.

No this was timed, someone wanted only him to see this.

He briefly remembered that strange presence he felt following him. Keith definitely had the skills to escape his perception if he prepared beforehand, but something still didn’t seem right. What exactly is this about?

His third explanation was Gary.

Although he seemed nice, Zyro didn’t forget that he had failed to get into his mind. The only time this happened is whenever he tries it on the teachers or his friends, and especially, Celia. Was it possible he was still working for her? Since he couldn’t read his soul he had no way to accurately read his intent. That being said, Zyro trusted his instincts, and what those instincts told him was that Gary was telling the truth,he seemed too scattered to be planning some awful scheme. He was also a bit concerned or maybe excited by the fact he couldn’t read Gary’s soul,if he only couldn’t read the minds of those much stronger than him like the teachers and his friends like Zaria then didn’t that mean that battle Zen won was...

His final explanation was...a bit more concerning.

"You think it might be Q?" Freya asked.

"It’s not impossible"

"No,he wouldn’t"

"Then maybe he sent someone to fetch me"

"If that’s true we should be on the lookout. He most likely sent someone capable of subduing you "

Theia seemed a bit skeptical.

"If your creepy "dad" really did send someone to get you, wouldn’t they have just grabbed you instead of tagging your door. This seems more like a cheap prank,or a game or something"

Zyro shrugged

"Everything’s a game. What’s the point of a job if you don’t have fun doing it"

"Whatever,if some bozo is out there thinking they can take us,they’re in for a rude awakening. You’ve grown much stronger than those bozos could imagine. Even if they do take us, we’re gonna make sure they WORK for it, right?"

Theia said, finally getting pumped at the prospect of extreme danger.

Zyro nodded, his smile widening into a sickening grin. A look of awareness flashed across his face before he returned his facial expression to what it was before.

"Alright,i should probably clean this up before someone sees it"

Zyro walked into the room, noticing his friends were nowhere to be seen.

He quickly grabbed one of his shirts ,a bucket full of water and some detergent, running back out to rub the blood off the door.

Once he was done, he went to the bathroom, washing his hands to get the smell of blood off.

"So what do we do now?"

Hiding the bloody shirt, Zyro answered.

"Follow the instructions. We have to find whoever did this"

"Well we can’t find Celia, and I doubt it would be that easy to find someone who could sneak into the school,do this, and get out undetected. So that leaves..."

"Yep! Gary, and Keith"

Walking out Zyro decided to head to Keith’s place first. Of course it should be difficult for him to find Keith’s dorm in the second year dormitory area but he was confident it wouldn’t be a problem, his final soul brand had been used for him to locate his dorm,so he knew how to find him.

Zyro looked at his watch checking the time. It was almost time to feed Sable. Hopefully he could wrap this up quickly and get back to that before something... unpleasant happened.

Lilith had told him the possible consequences of starving a vampire, especially once that had only been recently born and had little to no experience like Sable, and although he wouldn’t normally take risks like this,he didn’t have a choice, he needed to solve this mystery as soon as possible,or at least cut down his list of suspects.

****************

Zyro looked at the trail that had led him to a single building. Although it was much smaller than the general area it was quite impressive.

"Where did Keith get the money for this? And why?" He wondered.

Walking towards the door, Zyro was about to knock when he suddenly stopped, almost facepalming at how stupid he was acting. He was here to interrogate him, not join him for dinner.

Looking around, Zyro made sure no one was around before closing his eyes.

Exactly one minute later, his body turned completely intangible and he stepped through the door.

He quickly deactivated the skill and prepared a shadow tendril, prepared to subdue him but he was slightly stunned by what he saw stunned him slightly.

"Oh, you’re busy"

Keith was stark naked, with his back turned away from Zyro,he was standing over the bed, slightly bent with the sound of soft sobbing coming from the bed.

"Hmmm?"

Keith looked back, seemingly enraged that someone had interrupted his "play time"

The moment he realized who it was,all emotion drained from Keith’s face and his eyes turned cold.

"You."

"Should I come back?"

Zyro asked, but it was clear he wasn’t serious about it.

"I need to talk to you"

A head suddenly moved beneath Keith, allowing Zyro to see the face of a girl,naked and pinned onto the bed. Tears filled her eyes but strangely she didn’t seem...alive. Her eyes were dead and lifeless. She barely reacted when Keith grabbed her by her neck and threw her to the ground like she was a piece of trash.

"Hmmm"

Zyro made a sound but didn’t react, the expression on his face didn’t change at all either.

The girl had long braided hair , brown eyes and completely tanned skin,or she would have if it wasn’t for the questionable white spots that covered her body.

"Help...help"

Zyro’s eyes moved from Keith and to the edge of the bed. There was another girl. Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked towards Zyro, pointlessly tugging on the chains around her hands and neck that were tied to the bed. Her face was swollen and her eyes were red from crying. Her clothes were ripped,torn and dirty, hinting that she had been wearing them for a long time

"Please help me"

Snarling, Keith suddenly slapped her, making her flinch and curl up in terror and pain.

With tears in her eyes she looked up at Zyro but when she saw the unbothered gentle smile on Zyro’s face,her hopeful expression faded.

"Bitch!"

"..."

"What? Like what you see? I haven’t had time to break her in yet, just got this one a few days ago"

Despite his words conveying familiarity,all ther was was scorn in his voice.

Looking at the faint trail in the air that led to an inconspicuous mark on the girl’s body, Zyro mused.

"I know"